THE EVENTThe 102nd season of football at Boston College officially began on the evening of Monday, Aug. 7 as freshmen reported to practice. Freshmen spent Tuesday, Aug. 8, concentrating on academic and NCAA compliance and spent Wednesday and Thursday on the practice field. The upperclassmen reported on Thursday, and after media activities and the annual Flynn Fund Barbecue today, practice begins on Saturday with two-a-days.

Boston College opens the season with a 12:00 p.m. EDT game against West Virginia. That game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

HEAD COACH TOM O'BRIENBoston College head coach Tom O'Brien (Navy '71) enters his fourth season in charge of the Eagle program and has an overall record of 16-18 at the school. Last year, Boston College posted an 8-4 mark and played in the Insight.com bowl - the first postseason appearance for the Eagles since the 1994 season.

The Eagles were the third-most improved team in NCAA Division I-A football last season.

O'Brien came to Boston College after spending 15 years as an assistant coach at Virginia - the final six as offensive coordinator.

CAPTAINS ANNOUNCEDO'Brien has announced that the Boston College football team elected senior quarterback Tim Hasselbeck (Norfolk, Mass.), senior defensive back RaMon Johnson (Warrensville Hights, Ohio) and senior offensive lineman Paul Zukauskas (Weymouth, Mass.) as team captains for the 2000 season at a meeting last night.

Hasselbeck completed 145 of 160 pass attempts last season for 1,940 yards and 11 touchdowns. Johnson played in all 12 games last season, starting 11 of them, and made 59 tackles -- 41 unassited -- with three sacks. Zukauskas has started every game for Boston College over the past two seasons

BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE POLLSBoston College was in the "also receiving votes" category in the 2000 preseason Associated Press poll with three points, which was released on Aug. 5. 2000 Eagle opponents in the poll were Virginia Tech (No. 11), Syracuse (also receiving votes) and Notre Dame (also receiving votes).

In the preseason USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, which was released on Thursday night, Boston College also received three votes. Virginia Tech was ranked 10th while Syracuse and Notre Dame also received votes.

EAGLES TABBED FOURTH IN THE BIG EASTBoston College was picked fourth in the official BIG EAST Conference preseason poll - a selection voted upon by media representatives who cover the league on a regular basis. Boston College finished fourth with 109 points while Miami was first (183 points with 15 first place votes) followed by Virginia Tech (177 points with nine first place votes) Syracuse (134 points). Following the Eagles were Pittsburgh (100 points), West Virginia (85 points), Temple (48 points) and Rutgers (28 points).

BC AND PRESEASON PICKSThe Boston College football team and individual performers have been mentioned in several preseason publications this year:

10th in country among running backs by The Sporting News
Preseason honorable mention All-America by Street & Smith's/Walter Camp
Preseason all-BIG EAST first team by The Sporting News
Preseason all-BIG EAST first team by Street and Smith's

16th in country among guards by The Sporting News Preseason honorable mention All-America by Street & Smith's/Walter Camp
Preseason all-BIG EAST first team by The Sporting News
Preseason all-BIG EAST first team by Street and Smith's

Boston College will be one of the most televised team in the country this season as all 11 games will be available on television. Here's an updated look at the 2000 Eagle schedule with television plans. Note that two game times are not set definitely and will depend on the television origination.

Date

Opponent

Time

Television

Sept. 2

* at West Virginia

12:00 p.m. EDT

ESPN

Sept. 9

at Army

12:00 p.m. EDT

Fox Sports Net

Sept. 23

NAVY

12:00 p.m. EDT

ESPN Regional

Sept. 30

* VIRGINIA TECH

12:00 p.m./3:30 p.m. EDT

CBS/espn2

Oct. 7

CONNECTICUT

12:00 p.m. EDT

NESN

Oct. 14

* SYRACUSE

12:00 p.m. EDT

ESPN Regional

Oct. 21

* at Pittsburgh

12:00 p.m. EDT

ESPN Regional

Oct. 28

* RUTGERS

12:00 p.m. EDT

ESPN Regional

Nov. 4

* TEMPLE

12:00 p.m. EST

ESPN Regional

Nov. 11

at Notre Dame

3:30 p.m. EST

NBC

Nov. 24

* at Miami

3:30 p.m./7:30 p.m. EST

CBS/ESPN

BOSTON COLLEGE ON THE RADIOOnce again this season, Boston College game will be broadcast on two of Boston's most powerful radio stations - WEEI 850-AM or WRKO-680 AM (depending on conflicts with Boston Red Sox games). John Rooke returns for his second season as the play-by-play announcer while former Boston College All-American lineman Peter Cronin provides color.

EAGLES HAVE NEW LOGOSThe new millennium has brought a new look at Boston College athletics. A new series of Boston College logos were unveiled at a media and corporate partner event on July 26 and was the conclusion of a 24-month process. A study and a logo redesign for the athletic department will broaden the base of athletics-related design concepts and bring all Boston College athletic teams under the umbrella of one branded look and feel. A color match for maroon and gold has been carefully researched and gives BC teams the opportunity to put a consistent look on its 33 varsity sports.